New private school makes fundraising push

3Cord officials hope scholarship program can help former New Hope students

Manuel Tellado picked up enrollment and financial aid forms at a community meeting last week for Hilda Goodling Impact Academy, a new private school in York to be run by 3Cord Inc.

Tellado, 18, used to go to New Hope Academy Charter School, which has been forced to close because its charter wasn't renewed for reasons including academic performance. 3Cord was the management company for that school.

Some students are referring to Hilda Goodling Impact Academy as "New Hope 2.0," said Tellado, who will be a senior in the fall.

"I just hope I can get the aid," he said.

Officials with 3Cord are working on a fundraising push in hopes that the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit program can help some former New Hope students attend the new private school this fall. A community meeting for the school, held last week, largely focused on how the scholarship program works.

More than 700 New Hope students have to find new schools to attend next school year. They could attend the district schools they are zoned for, or consider other cyber, charter, private or home-schooling options. The Hilda Goodling school dreams of raising enough scholarship funding to educate 235 of them.

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Through the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit program, which launched in 2012, businesses can receive tax credits in exchange for donations to approved scholarship organizations. Students who live in the boundaries of low-achieving schools, as identified by the state, and who meet income guidelines can apply for scholarships to attend another school.

Most York City schools are on the low-achieving list. Though public or private schools can sign up to receive students, mostly private schools do.

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Mike Butler, director of business development for 3Cord Inc., said that New Hope families don't have the ability to pay Hilda Goodling's tuition -- $8,500 for regular education and $15,000 for special education. Those amounts are also the maximum limits for Opportunity Scholarships.

At the community meeting, a parent asked if scholarships would definitely be available, or if she should be looking for another school.

Samuel Sutton, chief operating officer for 3Cord, told her she should have a "B plan."

"Our team is working very hard on the A plan," he said.

Butler told the parents that the school "will be earnestly looking for donations in the next three weeks."

He said later that families need to have their children enrolled somewhere by mid-August. In three weeks, he said, the school will be in a position to tell the families if they believe there will be funding for them or if the families need to seriously pursue other options.

"We're trying to be up front ... We want to get people excited, (but) in the same sense we know it would be dishonest to say this is a sure thing," Butler said.

The "home run" in fundraising would be $2 million, which would fund 235 students, he said.

Families were asked if they were willing to write letters to help demonstrate the need to businesses, and a video was also being produced. Butler said he hopes that will "make it real" for the businesses they're trying to convince to donate.

'Crucial' aid program

Other private schools around York County have been making use of the scholarship program.

Katie Seufert, principal at York Catholic High School, said four students will receive an Opportunity Scholarship in 2014-15.

"I'm excited that we are in our first year of an opportunity to participate, due to one local business that is supporting us," Seufert said, adding that she hopes the program can grow next year.

Schools have to help make businesses aware of the tax benefits available through the program, she said.

"In a way, it's a win-win for both of us," she said.

York Country Day School awarded 18 Opportunity Scholarships in 2012-13 and 16 in 2013-14, said Kelly Arcieri, director of development and alumni programs. The scholarships went to students who had previously been York Country Day students but live in York City, in the boundaries of the low-achieving schools.

Arcieri said she probably gets one call a week from parents of students who live in those distressed school areas.

It's been a great program, she said, but there's been tax credit money left on the table each year.

Steve Kratz, spokesman for the state's community and economic development department, said that last year, $30 million of the $50 million in available tax credits was used. That was an increase from the first year, he said, and officials expect to see that continue.

Arcieri said York Country Day hosts a luncheon each year to explain the program to accountants and tax preparers.

"It's a shame businesses don't know about it," she said.

This year, one business contacted the school and said they'd been rejected from the state's Educational Improvement Tax Credit program -- which provides tax credits if businesses donate to a scholarship organization, educational improvement organization or pre-kindergarten scholarship organization -- because funds available for that program were exhausted. Arcieri suggested they look into the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit program instead, and it worked out.

"This program's really crucial for us," she said, saying the program is a big piece of the school's student aid budget. "We give away $750,000 in student aid each year."

Contact Angie Mason at 771-2048.

About the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit

Here's a look at the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit program

Who is eligible for scholarships: Students who live in the boundaries of one of the low-performing schools identified on a list compiled by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and who meet income guidelines. In York County for 2014-15, those schools are: Devers, Davis, Ferguson, Jackson and McKinley K-8 schools and William Penn Senior High School in York.

What are the income limits: Household annual income of no more than $75,000 plus $15,000 for each dependent member of the household.

Where can the scholarships be used: The state education department has a list of schools that will receive students with the scholarships at www.education.state.pa.us.

How to apply: Families work through an approved scholarship organization. A list is available at www.newpa.com/OSTC.

What's the business benefit: Businesses that donate to an approved scholarship organization can receive a tax credit of 75 percent of their contribution amount for a one-year commitment or 90 percent for a two-year commitment. The total cannot exceed $750,000.

What's available: The program has $50 million in tax credits available for 2014-15.

Sources: Pennsylvania Department of Education, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development

About Hilda Goodling Impact Academy

Hilda Goodling Impact Academy, a private K-12 school run by 3Cord Inc., is planned to open in the fall.

Officials said that in January, the license for Impact Academy, a private school 3Cord opened for at-risk elementary students, was converted into a license for a K-12 school to serve both regular and special education students.

Previously, officials said the school would operate at 200 E. Princess St., York, the site of Challenge Academy, an alternative program run by 3Cord Inc. But now, the planned location is 459 W. King St., York, which was the site of New Hope Academy Charter School. The state education department recently did a walk-through of that building, said Mike Butler, director of business development for 3Cord.

The school year is expected to begin after Labor Day.

The school is named after former York County Congressman Bill Goodling's wife, Hilda, a longtime educator who retired from the York Suburban School District and later worked in Baltimore schools. Learn more at www.hgiacademy.org.

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